Israeli Minister Prays at Jerusalem Holy Site, Violating Status Quo

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem on Thursday, praying with hundreds of Jewish visitors, including settlers. The site, revered as the third holiest site in Islam and the most sacred in Judaism, is governed by a status quo agreement established in 1967. This agreement permits Jewish visits but prohibits Jewish prayer, while Muslim worship is allowed.

Ben Gvir's visit coincided with Tisha B'Av, a Jewish day of fasting and mourning commemorating the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem. Despite the prohibition on prayer for Jews at the site, witnesses from AFP observed the minister and other Jewish visitors praying. "Look what is happening here: Jews are praying and feel that this place belongs to them by right," Ben Gvir declared in a video posted on Telegram. He added, "There is still a long way to go, and with God's help, we will continue to advance."

This action has drawn criticism from Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, and Muslim religious authorities, who have condemned repeated transgressions of the status quo by Ben Gvir and other Jewish visitors in recent years. The Israeli government maintains that its policy regarding the status quo has not changed, yet incidents like this continue to fuel Israeli-Palestinian tensions surrounding the highly sensitive holy site. Ben Gvir, a far-right figure known for anti-Arab sentiments, has visited the compound over a dozen times since joining the government and has previously used Tisha B'Av gatherings to advocate for harsher policies in Gaza and the West Bank.

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Look what is happening here: Jews are praying and feel that this place belongs to them by right. There is still a long way to go, and with God's help, we will continue to advance.